"New Nintendo 3DS"

[Fleur]

- Out in Japan on 11 October
- Available in both standard and XL versions
- New C-stick, presumably to replicate the SlidePad's right stick
- Games where the new C-stick will be of use include: Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, Dragon Quest X Online, Final Fantasy Explorers, and Super Smash Bros
- Changeable cover plates
- CPU improved, makes browsing Miiverse / eShop much faster
- Now compatible with microSDCard
- Better battery (up to 7h)

And for those of you who haven't had the privilege to play Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii (or on Dolphin, *cough*), here's good news! It will be for the 3DS as well. That beefier CPU is useful for something! And presumably it means it's only for the New 3DS, thereby creating even further brand confusion with the customers!

 

[Azuardo]

Those SNES buttons... Mmm.

All I hope is that MM3D won't be New 3DS-exclusive. I mean, I'd probably end up a sucker and buy the thing for that game anyway, but I'd prefer not to lol.

Can't say I'm a fan of the name, and seeing a great game like Xeno and not being able to play it on my own 3DS is pretty sad, but it's a good redesign. This should have been what the 3DS XL is, though.

 

[Fleur]

Eurogamer says it will hit Europe in 2015. Presumably North America gets it at a similar time as well.

This seems to be unprecedented territory...well, unprecedented on the handheld front, because there was the failed Nintendo 64DD. A version of a handheld that isn't a genuine followup to the 3DS with its own exclusive games. As bad as the name initially seems (it's like the New iPad all over again), I suppose it's less likely to be as confusing to the consumer as the 2DS. Getting the message across isn't as hard this time round; this is a NEW 3DS...sorta, and it's better than the ordinary 3DS.

I just wonder what Nintendo's handheld strategy even is at this point. Caught in choppy waters with the shark fins of Apple and Android floating around, one can look at this move as something semi-influenced by how flagship mobile phones and tablets are regularly refreshed. Or perhaps Nintendo just simply has no coherent direction, and this primarily serves to buy an extra couple of years.

EDIT: Welp, guess people are now calling the C-stick the "nipple button" now.

 

[yeah_93]

That's some really good news for 3DS owners. Xenoblade is a fantastic game and now they'll get the chance to play it.

 

[darkbahamut]

Iwata has confirmed that other games will be exclusive to the "New" 3DS (name outside of Japan might be different) for the better CPU, and I can understand why many people might be mad at this. But, it should be reminded that both the GBC and DSi, revisions of their respective handheld families, also had more stuff added, including exclusive content and performance boosts; this isn't anything new really from the business side of Nintendo.

My two questions, though, are:
1) will I be able to do a system transfer from my old 3DS to the new one, and
2) will the Ambassador games work after doing such a transfer.

I suppose we'll learn more soon.

 

[Stealth]

I like it. It is a smart move

 

[buddhafied]

Didn't like this update at all, agree with Azuardo, this is what the original 3DS XL suppose to be. But all the bad feelings got blown away by those Super Famicon buttons... Now I HAVE to have it...

Edit: Oh, and when the LL comes to North America, they better not change the button to the ugly purple colour scheme that the SNES has, stick with the Famicon 4 colours please. 20+ years and I still haven't forgiven Nintendo for the purple.

 

[Stealth]

Didn't like this update at all, agree with Azuardo, this is what the original 3DS XL suppose to be. But all the bad feelings got blown away by those Super Famicon buttons... Now I HAVE to have it...

Edit: Oh, and when the LL comes to North America, they better not change the button to the ugly purple colour scheme that the SNES has, stick with the Famicon 4 colours please. 20+ years and I still haven't forgiven Nintendo for the purple.

It is easy in hindsight to say what a system is supposed to have to be fair. I can look at any system and say what things need to be changed.

 

[Fin]

Ahhhhh damnit I just bought a new LL last month too. What's the release date for Xeno? Need to know when to buy one

 

[buddhafied]

It is easy in hindsight to say what a system is supposed to have to be fair. I can look at any system and say what things need to be changed.

Yeah, I get it, at least as an adult and not letting my 12 year old teenage kid in my head think ha ha ha. What I think Nintendo did though, the last couple of years were reactive instead of being proactive. Both the 3DS XL, 2DS and the extra circle pad add on were all, in my opinion, reactive type designs. To me, they listened to the fan and quickly react to it: people wanted bigger screens, people wanted no 3D, people wanted extra circle pad. Whereas the LL seems a much more complete upgrade that focused more than just one aspect of the system, while also thinking ahead (Amiibo capability for one). Mind you, Nintendo has been doing this to us all these years with the Gameboy line and DS line, it isn't much of a surprise, but I think this time is slightly more obvious to me than before. Maybe just because I'm older and notice these things more.

 

[Squirrel Emperor]

Now I'm glad I didn't buy a 3DS XL.
I'm pretty behind on 3DS games so I'll probably end up upgrading first before tackling what I missed.

 

[Azuardo]

Thankfully, living in the UK, I grew up on those beautiful red/blue/green/yellow buttons on my SNES I imagine they'd keep it the same for North America, too, as people do like the 'Super Famicom' and 'Famicom' styles, despite the SF style also being the European style. I would die if Europe got a redesigned North America purple scheme instead. Don't go there, Nintendo.

 

[Slickyslacker]

Iwata has confirmed that other games will be exclusive to the "New" 3DS (name outside of Japan might be different) for the better CPU, and I can understand why many people might be mad at this. But, it should be reminded that both the GBC and DSi, revisions of their respective handheld families, also had more stuff added, including exclusive content and performance boosts; this isn't anything new really from the business side of Nintendo.

My two questions, though, are:
1) will I be able to do a system transfer from my old 3DS to the new one, and
2) will the Ambassador games work after doing such a transfer.

I suppose we'll learn more soon.

You're in luck, as the answer to both of your questions is apparently "yes":

http://www.siliconera.com/2014/08/29/nintendo-answers-questions-new-nintendo-3ds/

Personally, I'm most excited for the New 3DS because of its processing power. If it can handle a remake of a Wii game, then possibilities are apparently endless. Rumors of a Gamecube Virtual Console have me most excited, as I've been clamoring for a portable Pikmin 1 remake since the DSi was released. Here's to hoping that's one of the games currently in development for the New 3DS.

 

[yeah_93]

Thankfully, living in the UK, I grew up on those beautiful red/blue/green/yellow buttons on my SNES I imagine they'd keep it the same for North America, too, as people do like the 'Super Famicom' and 'Famicom' styles, despite the SF style also being the European style. I would die if Europe got a redesigned North America purple scheme instead. Don't go there, Nintendo.

Thankfully, living in South America... wait, there's never anything good for a gamer living here.

 

[darkbahamut]

You're in luck, as the answer to both of your questions is apparently "yes":

http://www.siliconera.com/2014/08/29/nintendo-answers-questions-new-nintendo-3ds/

Personally, I'm most excited for the New 3DS because of its processing power. If it can handle a remake of a Wii game, then possibilities are apparently endless. Rumors of a Gamecube Virtual Console have me most excited, as I've been clamoring for a portable Pikmin 1 remake since the DSi was released. Here's to hoping that's one of the games currently in development for the New 3DS.

I must have missed that. Nice to know system transfers can be done to the new devices, although it can't be done the other way around.

Also, I'd like to point out that the faster CPU will not necessarily mean better graphics. The CPU is more likely used for CPU-intensive tasks, like AI, and will also help with draw distances and other complex things, which makes Xenoblade possible to run on it. The GPU, as far as I can tell, is not changing, although I've heard a rumour that the RAM and VRAM will be increased as well.

 

[Jenova]

I was going to pick up a refurbished unit from the NOA store but I think I will just wait for these to make their way stateside instead.

 

[Crystal Power]

Great! Now I'm going to have to sell my old original Nintendo 3DS while coming with the extra cash to get this version. I'd be lying if I said I was satisfied with my old model now.

 

[Bremaine]

Lovin' the SNES buttons a lot. Really brings me back to the good ol days. Anyways I think this is when I finally upgrade to a new 3DS.

 

[Squirrel Emperor]

There seems to be a rumor right now that NEW 3DS is not region locked.

 

[darkbahamut]

Isn't the region locking handled by the firmware? So if the New 3DS is region-free, then Ninty must make the regular models region-free as well, for the sake of clarity.